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Cuts at Crumlin Children’s Hospital must be resisted – Ó Snodaigh

Sinn Féin Dublin South Central TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh has said that staffing cuts at Crumlin Children's Hospital must be resisted and the new Health Minister must "fully fund hospital services for children and rein in the HSE bureaucracy".

Speaking today Deputy Ó Snodaigh said, "It is outrageous that the Health Service Executive is pressurising Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin to cut staff numbers by more than 100. Crumlin is already operating at full stretch and staff and patients are under great pressure. As the hospital has pointed out to the HSE, if the budgetary cuts were to be imposed then wards, operating theatres and intensive care unit beds would have to be shut down. This would inevitably lead to vital care for patients being further delayed or denied.

"These proposed cuts must be resisted. With unprecedented revenue coming into State coffers it is an obscenity that the Health Service Executive is adopting this book-keeping approach to our health services. It seems prepared to allow the leading children's hospital in the country to be paralysed by budget cuts.

"The incoming Minister for Health, of whatever party, must make a commitment to fully fund hospital services for children, including Crumlin. He or she must also rein in the HSE bureaucracy and listen to patients and front-line hospital staff." ENDS